Featured Fabric identification on this iridescent beauty please

What is the name of this fabric? It feels like a Rayon, taffeta, and brocade mixed together with iridescence. It's periwinkle with the design in white, and dark blue thread woven in. A little like peau de soie. I know there is a term and my mind is drawing a blank.

 

Changeable taffeta? Or I might be confused with watered silk.......been a long time since I dealt with anything but denim....................

 

Early 50s cocktail dress? The fabric is wonderful. Japanese design silk?

 

What a lovely dress. Peau de soie perhaps ?

 

It is gorgeous, very elegant. And the same neckline as my wedding dress.

I wasn't fully awake when I saw the title, and I read indecent beauty. (Freudian)
Not that I am disappointed by this very decent beauty.

 

I grew up in rural NH and had visions of growing up and going to cocktail parties wearing dresses like this. I graduated from high school in 1967 and, of course, all these gorgeous dresses were passe.

 

Aren't fabrics with woven-in pattern called jacquard? In this case jacquard taffeta?

 

It reminds me of Chinese silk, with those blossoming branches. They call it silk brocade, which you also mentioned, although brocade usually looks more embossed.
Could we see the back of the fabric (inside)?

 

If only we had movement and "sound" with the photos. Then we'd know for certain if it is taffeta.

"The Rustle of Taffeta" . . . "There is no sound more feminine than a woman in a taffeta dress." Oscar de la Renta

 

I was going with taffeta but this appears too soft for that. My first though when I saw the picture was silk brocade. Very difficult to determine without being able to touch and hear the fabric. Good luck

 

When I hit my majority I decided to take my folks to the Rainbow Room as part of the celebrations................Ma had JUST gotten a Dior "New Look" evening dress (mega, mega $$, couture, in Paris) of violet/copper changeable taffeta with a similar neckline and a crinoline skirt...............and the waiter slide an entire plate of duck a l'orange into her lap...............she lost her taste for Long Island duckling after that - even though our tenant farmers raised them............

 

Oooh..... and I can just picture the dress too. I love changeant fabrics.

 

I'm fairly certain it's not Silk, but possibly Silk thread on design. I do a ton of 50's dresses, and this fabric is different than any I've seen. It feels just like a thick rayon Taffeta, not thick as brocade, smooth no ribbing on outer side, underside is shinier than top and robbed. I put Peau de Soie in my post here as similar, but just not quite. Its thicker, heavier, It's not quite anything I know lol. Gorgeous though. If doesn't sell I'm keeping for my daughter when older Oh how I wish my 5'11 frame was more petite . Although it's a size 8, I'm WAY too tall, I have to pull the girls up to my chin to wear it, not a good look lol.

 

Damask?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_silk

 

I've never fit into anything that small since I was a kid...but dang.... And if I'd been Mansons' mom, that waiter would have been a dead duck too. It may be 60 years down the road, but Dior New Look still rocks. I'm a sucker for a portrait neck and a full skirt.

 

Kinda makes you want to stand up and twirl.

 

Try this site if you haven't already: http://vintagefashionguild.org/
They have a fabric resource guide that may help. Also lots of other sections that will suck you in forever. Love the dress by the way; especially the color, one of my favorites!!!

 

Well, I was "doing the Deb circuit" at that time, and the Rainbow Room was de rigueur for first dates back then (Sardi's, Cotton Club, Peacock Alley, The Persian Room and Trader Vic's for either second dates or "sure things"). I never saw that waiter again at the Rainbow Room, and I do believe that I would recognize any grown man that I had seen screaming in Spanish with tears running down his cheeks...................Ma got a nice cheque from them as well...................and because Dior was Dior, a cheque in the mail, et voila'! a replacement dress arrives on the door step, all the way from Paris......................

 

@Mansons2005 You have such interesting stories. You and others from your generation must have really noticed how the world has changed drastically during your lifetime.